Eco-Friendly Native Artist Kathy Whitman Brings Calmness to the Chaos

Recycled aluminum buffalo sculpture by Whitman at
Winterowd Fine Art's 2013 "My Land" exhibition
Photo: Sylvester Hustito

During this year's SWAIA Indian Market, I attended an opening at Canyon Road's Winterowd Fine Art that featured works by a number of prominent Native American artists including Phoenix-based, Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara artist Kathy Whitman Elk Woman.  Her buffalo sculpture, made from recycled aluminum cans held a central spot in one of the gallery rooms.  In spite of all the fantastic art surrounding me, it was hard to keep my eyes off of it.  As I moved around the room, I heard conversation, and it became clear to me that I was standing near the artist.  She was speaking to a member of the gallery's staff, and as their conversation ended, Kathy turned, our eyes met, she smiled and we greeted each other with a "hello" as if we already knew each other.  In fact, we had never met, and in spite of the salutation, I froze as she made her way out of the gallery.   I think, perhaps, I was intimidated by her unique sense of style and the ease with which she navigated the room. 

Flash forward to about a month ago when I decided to friend Kathy on Facebook.  She was featuring some terrific feather and crystal pendants made from recycled aluminum cans on her wall, and I was drawn in by their whimsical nature.

Colorful Eco-Feather and Crystal Pendants by
Kathy Whitman Elk Woman
Photo: Kathy Whitman

Kathy immediately set me straight about the important message that these pieces send to people when they wear them--"Protect Mother Earth!"    In fact, less than a decade ago, Kathy decided she wanted to

Recycled aluminum sculpture by
Kathy Whitman Elk Woman at 
2013 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market
Best of Show Reception
Photo: Paul Niemi

make an impact on the Earth by being part of the solution to our pollution problems.  She began making wonderful, beautiful eco-jewelry.  This led to her taking the idea to the next level to create realistic sculptures of important creatures in nature--buffalo, eagles and the like.  In March, at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market,  I happened to snap a picture of one of her award-winning pieces.

This year, we finally had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know one another at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian annual holiday Native Art Market at One Bowling Green in Manhattan.  Since she is from North Dakota and I'm from Wisconsin, so there was an immediate connection. One would think we have known each other for years.  Kathy spoke to me about her art and what motivates her to create pieces out of recycled aluminum and plastic.  Watch my video interview HERE:

Heard @ the Heard 2011: Iconic Artist Benjamin Harjo, Jr. Shows His "Layers" in Berlin Gallery Group Show Opening 4/15

What I find fun about going to art shows is that there is always an opportunity to connect with artists who are new to my art lexicon--I'm constantly learning and I love it!  What's more amazing is that many of these artists have had lifelong, high-profile careers, and when you first meet them, you'd never know.  Some are as humble as they day they entered the marketplace.  That's always refreshing.

One such artist is Benjamin Harjo, Jr.  Having spent almost a half of a century training and working as a master of pen and ink, a painter and block print maker, Harjo is one of the most recognizable and respected artists working in Native American fine art.  His work has graced posters, is housed in museums, and exists in private collections all over the world.  None of this, however, has gone to his head. Harjo understands the ebbs and flows of the art world and "the abuse" that artists take when it comes to selling their work.  Luckily, he has cultivated a loyal group of friends and regular collectors who find inspiration in his art and want to see him flourish.  Whereas, many visual artists don't attend "booth" shows such as the Heard Museum Guild's Indian Fair and Market, Harjo consistently participates in them. The season runs from March to November, so he is always busy.  That's when he's not working on a commission.  He contends that some years the shows will be good for him, and other years it will be good for other artists. It's just the way things are.

Tonight, Benjamin Harjo, Jr. opens in a group show at the Heard Museum's Berlin Gallery entitled Layers: Sarah Sense + Frank Buffalo Hyde + Benjamin Harjo, Jr.  While his counterparts in the show are considerably younger, they are also edgy and hip.  The inclusion of his work is a testament to the agelessness of Harjo's paintings and drawings.  The exhibition, which runs through May 16, highlights works by the three artists that "reveal the layering of either ideas or processes to create their own unique vision, the end result multi-layered works that explore new territories of definition." 

Ironically, and completely unaware of the upcoming exhibition at the Heard's Berlin Gallery, I had the opportunity to interview Harjo last month for my "Heard @ the Heard 2011" series at the 53rd Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market.  So, it makes complete sense that things come full circle and I end my series with this iconic master artist, who talked to me about his award-winning Heard submission piece as well as his influences, on the day of his opening! 

Watch the video interview with Benjamin Harjo, Jr. HERE: